Report: OU RB's accuser told friend that accusation could be 'great' for political career

The woman who accused Oklahoma running back Rodney Anderson of sexual assault has dropped her protective order against him.

Courtney Thornton said in a statement Friday that she was moving on with her career in the Air Force. Thursday, the Cleveland County District Attorney’s office declined to press charges against Anderson regarding Thornton’s rape accusation against him.

Prosecutors explained Thornton never told Anderson no after they had engaged in consensual sexual activity and she had called a friend while in the bathroom to tell the friend she was excited Anderson was at her place.

The woman reported the accusation from the Nov. 15 incident on Dec. 4 and said she had begun to remember the events of the evening as time passed. Friday, the Oklahoman reported a friend of Thornton’s said Thornton was thinking about future aspirations in the context of what happened with Anderson.

One friend told police Thornton had said “this would be a ‘great thing’ for her political career following the Air Force,” The Oklahoman has learned. The friend told police Thornton had said “female-empowered political organizations would love something like this.”

Thornton, who identified herself in her statement on Friday, said she lost faith in the justice system following the lack of charges against Anderson. She said Anderson had digitally penetrated her while they were in her bedroom and said she was unable to consent to what happened because of her level of intoxication.

She obtained the protective order against Anderson on Dec. 4, saying she feared for her safety because Anderson knew where she lived. Prosecutors said Thornton told them in a written statement after her initial report that she and Anderson had exchanged phone numbers when he left and noted texts messages from Thornton “suggested” to the RB that they hang out again. Prosecutors said they had not been together since the night of the incident.